


Abandoned by the Gods

by MadisynG



Category: Original Work
Genre: Anarchy, Angels, Archangels, Battle, Demons, Detective, Fighting, Gen, Gods, Government Agency, Hate, Investigation, Magic, Monsters, War, agency, overthrow
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-05
Updated: 2020-05-04
Packaged: 2021-03-01 02:40:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 10
Words: 11,818
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23027935
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MadisynG/pseuds/MadisynG
Summary: Madisyn hardly knows who to trust anymore after being temporarily assigned to a team of special ops agents on a missing-monsters case. She's surprised that she was chosen to work with such a high-ranking team, but quickly becomes fast friends with all of them, easily ready to lay down her life for them.However, things become even more complicated when Madisyn starts seeing visions of her new allies in her dreams and begins to question whether or not they actually mean well. Will she stand by her heroes through the pressure of a new challenge, or will her trust finally break, taking her mind and body with it?





	1. Chapter 1

I sighed as I walked through the blueish-gray steel halls, the virtually nonexistent heels of my boots clicking on the metal floors. My posture was rigid as my arms were stiff at my sides, tension throughout my body making every one of my muscles taut. The concern was likely written all over my face, but I didn't need to justify it.

Director Baines had asked me to meet him in his office, which, to be fair, isn't uncommon enough to be a cause for worry on its own. However, he told me to wear my S.P.A.D.E. uniform, which he never cared about unless it was to impress someone.

And so, I was stuck wearing the simple, uncomfortable black leather catsuit that is the S.P.A.D.E. uniform. Luckily, I was still allowed to wear a pair of black fingerless gloves to complete the look.

I anxiously adjusted my gloves on my hands as I neared the Director's office. The door was shut, but I could sense more than one presence in the room with him.

 _Oh great, what did I break this time?_ I thought nervously as I stopped outside the door, raising my hand to knock.

The door was opened before I could knock, revealing three young men in the room with Director Baines, each of them only a couple of years older than me. They were also each wearing a set of modernized, form-fitting armor, the glint from the steel almost blinding me at first. Although, what nailed it home for me was the symbols on their pauldrons, shaped in the form of a downward-facing sword with wings...

My eyes widened slightly and a lump formed in my throat as I realized who these men were.

I anxiously glanced between them and Director Baines sitting at his desk, looking at me expectantly. I nervously cleared my throat, folding my hands behind my back as I straightened my posture.

"Have I done something wrong, sir?" I asked as calmly as I could, even though I was ten times as nervous as I was when the Director had first called me.

Director Baines sighed, leaning forward and resting his elbows against his desk, lacing his fingers together.

"Come inside, Agent Wulfston," he said, his tone hardened with the practiced discipline that he always used when he was trying to keep calm about something.

I swallowed the lump in my throat before nodding and entering the office, the door closing behind me as I passed the threshold. I stood in front of his desk, and he gestured to the seat in across from him in front of me. I nodded curtly and sat down, my hands folding themselves in my lap.

My mind was racing with thoughts as one of the three armored men sat on the cushioned bench at the side of the room, glancing between his comrades. This man was the wiriest of the three, with soft, almost feminine facial features. His dark, curly brown hair fell to just below his shoulders, serving as a visually pleasing contrast to his lime green eyes. From what I could remember of the files on their team, this one was codenamed _'Captain'_.

One of the other men leaned his back against the opposite wall, arms crossed as he looked me up and down expectantly. This man was more muscular than his colleague, his dark blue, almost turquoise eyes boring deep into me. He didn't seem to be bothered by the few thin flyaway locks that had pulled away from his low ponytail, the rest of his dirty blonde hair stopping at his shoulders. This man was codenamed _'Major_ '.

The third, however, looked as anxious as I felt, pacing back and forth behind my seat so fast that I could feel the air moving around him. He looked much more well-built than his compatriots, the short golden blonde hair crowning his head falling in his face ever-so-slightly and blowing around as he paced. The intensity in his sky blue eyes was startling, but I was intrigued by how I could almost see the gears turning in his head.

This man was their leader. His codename was _'Centurion'_.

I shifted uncomfortably, the tension in the room weighing down on me as the uneasy silence persisted.

Normally, I would be practically jumping out of my seat at being in the same room as the three armored men surrounding me, but not under these circumstances. With the tension in the room, I couldn't help but feel like I had done something reprehensible.

The one watching me like a hawk finally looked away, sharing a look among his comrades before turning to the Director. Director Baines returned his gaze with a slight scowl, almost as if he were being forced to do something he didn't want to.

Director Baines then sighed before turning his attention to me with an unreadable expression as the third man in armor stopped pacing.

"Agent Wulfston, it's safe to assume that you don't know what you're doing here, do you?" He asked.

"N-no, sir," I responded, my posture still straight as a line.

"For the long and short of it, he's temporarily assigning you to us," Centurion said, his full attention on me for the first time since I arrived.

My eyes widened and my whole body froze in shock. Major, still leaning on the wall, spared me a skeptical glance before turning to the Director.

"You sure about this?" He asked him.

The Director gave him a pointed look. "Believe me, it may not seem like it now, but she's one of our best," he said, a slight smirk threatening to form on his face. "Spends more time on the streets instead of flying over them."

Major looked back at Centurion, whose attention was still on me, albeit less obvious now.

"Sir?" He asked his blonde comrade.

Centurion sighed slightly before turning to look over at the ponytail man. His face was grim, but he met his teammate's eyes with a curt, yet deliberate nod.

I looked over at Director Baines nervously, his slate gray eyes conveying worry while the rest of his body remained composed. I took in a deep breath, looking back at Centurion as his attention returned to me.

Centurion met my eyes with a soft, encouraging smile.

"Welcome to the Alpha Squadron, Agent Mystic."


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You'll have to read and find out...

My eyes went wide, but I quickly composed myself as the blonde man offered his hand to me. I stood up, keeping my posture straight as a board as I took his hand, his firm grip on my hand tightening as he shook it. 

Pride swelled in my chest as he released my hand, but it was quickly dampened by the realization that they never told me why they were reassigning me. 

I was overcome with confusion, but I didn't let it show as the other two men shared a nod before exiting the office, leaving me, the Director and the blonde man in the office. 

Centurion gave me a rueful smile. 

"At ease, Agent," he said, and my posture relaxed as I looked at the Director. 

"Sir, if you don't mind me asking..." I began, and he nodded. "What is this about? Why are you reassigning me?" 

The Director sighed, closing his eyes for a moment, and for half a second, my eyes were drawn to the prominent scar over his right eye before he looked at me once more. 

"Please, sit back down," he said, gesturing back to the seat I had just stood up from. I hesitated, but sat back down, glancing up at the blonde man, though he wouldn't meet my eyes. 

Director Baines sighed once more, pausing as if trying to find the right words. 

"These past few months, monsters have been going missing across the U.S.," he said, his slate eyes meeting mine. "I've confirmed with the other sectors of the agency across the globe that they've been experiencing the same anomalies." 

I furrowed my eyebrows as the blonde man standing beside me crossed his arms. 

"This past month, a small handful of demigods and heroes have gone missing from both the land of the living and the underworld," Centurion spoke up, his glare fixated on the floor. "We've been doing everything we can, but there's only so much ground we can cover at once." 

"You think someone's behind the disappearances," I said, my question turning into a statement as I looked between Director Baines and the Centurion. 

"We have a few suspects," Centurion continued, sparing me a glance. "We're currently looking into them all at the moment." 

I shifted uncomfortably under his unreadable gaze. 

"...I'm not a suspect, am I?" I asked hesitantly. 

He chuckled wryly, shaking his head. 

"No," he said. "On the contrary, we transferred you so you could help with the investigation."

My eyebrows shot up in surprise. "What can I do?" I asked. 

Centurion shot me a sideways smile. "To be honest, we haven't exactly figured that out," he said, further worrying me. "But it's always good to have a fresh set of eyes looking at the situation."

"Your rare ability to manipulate dark magic shouldn't hurt, either," Director Baines spoke up, resting his elbows on his desk. "None of our other agents _or_ informants can do that." 

I shrunk slightly as my confidence began to fade, and I fidgeted my hands in my lap. I cleared my throat, trying to shake it off. 

"So, uh, when do we start?" I asked, looking up at Centurion once more. He looked at the old-fashioned grandfather clock sticking out like a sore thumb in the corner of the room.

"Tomorrow," he said with a sigh. "It's too late for any of us to be productive, so I suggest going home and getting some rest for tomorrow." 

I nodded and looked at the Director as he dismissed Centurion, saying that he wanted to speak with me for a moment. The blonde man nodded, exiting the office and closing the door behind him. 

Director Baines sighed, visibly slumping tiredly. He only ever showed his true feelings around me, as far as I knew. I relaxed my posture and gave him a sympathetic look. 

"This case is hard on you, isn't it?" I asked, the military-like discipline gone from my voice as he looked at me with tired eyes. 

"I'm getting too old for this, Madisyn," he said with a tired smile. I smiled slightly in return, but it quickly fell. 

"I can't imagine what kind of toll this case is taking on you," I said softly, looking down at my folded hands in my lap. 

"Don't worry about it," he said, waving it off as he leaned back in his chair. "Now that you're on the case, I'm sure I'll be able to relax soon." 

A small, genuine smile formed on his face, his eyes brightening a little bit, and I couldn't help but mirror his smile. 

The Director complained about being old, but really, it was just the stress getting to him. He was only in his late 30s and extremely healthy and athletic. There's a reason he was the Director of our district of S.P.A.D.E. 

The Strategic Planetary Agency of Defense and Espionage spreads across the globe, having a specialized district in almost every country. Each country has at least one Director running that specific district. All of the districts' Directors answer to the goddess Athena, and in turn, Athena answers to a council of Olympus comprised of the other eleven Olympians. 

The Director sighed, pulling me back out of my mind. He gave me a tired smile before standing up, his chair's wheels thumping slightly on the floor through the rug beneath his desk. 

He was a tall man, roughly 6' 2" in height with a strong build. His slate-colored eyes were a stark contrast to his dark olive skin tone, but they went well with his short, jet-black hair and goatee. 

Aside from his scar, he looked almost like a television police commissioner, wearing black dress pants and a white button-down shirt with a black vest. His sleeves were rolled up halfway, revealing a tattoo, roughly the size of a tennis ball on his inner forearm, and he always wore his dog tags around his neck. The symbol consisted of a pair of crossed arrows behind an upward-facing sword, with a banner around it that read _'De Oppresso Liber'_ ; The emblem of the Green Berets. 

He had that tattoo for longer than I've known him, which was most of my life, and he had the scar for as long as I could remember. He never told me how he got the scar, but I always just assumed it was from his time with either the Agency or the Green Berets.

He walked around his desk and I stood up automatically, looking up at him. He sighed, looking at the floor with a regretful expression. 

"I didn't want to reassign you, you know," he said. "The Alpha Squadron is efficient, but they can be reckless. Just..." He paused, looking me in the eyes again. "Just be careful, alright?" 

I smiled sympathetically. "I will, Pops," I said softly, pulling him into a quick hug. I grinned up at him as I let him go. "Now stop worrying so much. You'll give yourself an ulcer!" He chuckled slightly, placing a gentle hand on my shoulder as he walked me to the door of his office. 

"Goodnight, Champ," he said as we got to the door. 

"Goodnight, Pops," I said, smiling as I left his office to head back to my apartment to get some rest.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> None.

I awoke the next morning to the feeling of breathing in my face. Knowing the source, I ignored it and rolled over. However, a small weight shifted on my bed, and I felt the breathing in my face again. 

I grumbled, scrunching my eyes shut and pulling the covers up over my face. I felt something pinch the covers, pulling them off my head before I felt something warm and wet on my cheek. I grimaced at the smell, opening my eyes and gently pushing my dog away from my face. 

"Eww, morning breath," I groaned, rubbing my eyes awake as I sat up. "Alright Senshen, I'll get up to feed you." 

The black and tan Shiba Inu grunted, a wide grin spreading across his face as he stood up and hopped off my bed. I stretched my arms over my head before joining him, heading to my bathroom to commence with my morning routine. 

After brushing my teeth and my hair, I headed out into the kitchen and grabbed Senshen's food bag from the cupboard before pouring some kibble into his bowl. He wagged his tail, eating happily as I yawned, putting away the bag of dog food and turning on the coffee maker. 

I looked up at the clock on the wall in the living room. Six o'clock in the morning. 

_Heh, who needs an alarm clock when you have a hungry dog?_ I thought, sparing a glance at Senshen as he ate. I yawned, stretching my arms over my head before using a spell to change into some more suitable clothing; just a simple black sweater, jeans, and black boots.

I jumped as a knock sounded at my front door, making Senshen yelp in surprise. I let out a small sigh before walking over to the door and opening it. 

A smile formed on my face as I came face to face with a tall, familiar young man. He wore a dark blue suit perfectly tailored to his slim stature, the jacket open and revealing a light-colored dress shirt with a pin on his lapel in the shape of a winged staff with a pair of snakes circling it. The Caduceus staff. 

The man himself looked to be in his early thirties, with bright copper eyes and matching wispy, light brown hair crowning his head. He smiled brightly at me, flamboyantly placing his hand on his chest and bowing cheerfully. 

"Hermes! Long-time, no see!" I said happily as he pulled me into a tight hug. I chuckled, patting him on the back before pulling away and holding the door open to let him inside. "Come on in, I was just about to make some coffee for the day." 

He grinned before walking inside, letting me close the door behind him as Senshen trotted over to us. 

"It's been too long, Madisyn!" He exclaimed in a chipper tone as he knelt to pet Senshen. "It feels like a millennium since I last came for a visit!" 

Senshen licked Hermes' hand, a canine grin on his face as his tail wagged with glee. Hermes chuckled, and with a flick of the wrist, a small bone appeared in his hand which he set on the floor for Senshen before standing once more. 

I sighed as I walked to the kitchen and turned on the coffeemaker, leaning back against the counter to look at Hermes. 

"I know, but I can tell that this isn't one of your social visits," I said, crossing my arms as I nodded toward his suit. "What's up?" 

He sighed as he adjusted his suit jacket, resting his thumbs in his belt loops. 

"I was asked to relay a message from Olympus," he said, his tone suddenly serious. "Athena wishes to speak with you about the case you've been assigned before you convene with the Alpha Squadron. She wanted to meet at your earliest convenience, off the books."

I nodded as the coffeemaker beeped, signaling that the coffee was done, and I grabbed a pair of mugs from the cupboard and poured an acceptable amount of coffee in each. I poured a little bit of cream and sugar into my cup as Hermes walked over, sniffing the coffee and humming in satisfaction as he leaned over my shoulder. I chuckled and playfully bumped him with my shoulder. 

"Help yourself," I said, and he gave me a look that made me question my choice of words. 

He quickly moved to his cup of coffee, pouring an obscene and downright unnatural amount of cream and sugar into his coffee. However, his cup never seemed to gain mass. 

_One of the weird perks of being a god, I guess_ , I thought as he stirred his coffee and took a sip, smiling and closing his eyes in bliss. I smiled and rolled my eyes, taking a sip of my coffee as well. 

"So how long are you sticking around?" I asked him, breaking the silence. "You know, since the whole "Shepherd of the Dead" thing is damn near constant?" 

He glanced at his watch, his eyes saddening slightly before he quickly gulped down the rest of his coffee and set the mug down on the counter. 

"Just so happens, I gotta head out again," he said, sighing. "Sorry about the short visit." 

I smiled as I set down my coffee. "No worries, I'll walk you out." 

He nodded and we walked to the door, him saying goodbye to Senshen on the way. I opened the door for him and gave him a quick hug before he saluted and walked down the hall. Once he got to the end of the hall, however, he vanished in a gust of wind, a mess of papers flying around where he was standing. 

I sighed, closing my front door and glancing at my phone on the kitchen counter. I bit my bottom lip, taking a deep breath and walking over to the counter. I glanced back down at Senshen, who looked at me encouragingly. I chuckled slightly, petting his head before picking up my phone and dialing the number. 

The dial tone trilled for a moment before the person picked up. 

"Okay Athena," I said, "Where do you want to meet?" 


	4. Chapter 4

I left my apartment minutes after the phone call ended, leaving Senshen at home until I returned. 

I looked down at the address that Athena said she wanted to meet at, glancing around to find the street. I felt a small smile form on my face as I spotted the familiar street sign of McGraw Avenue, and I looked around for the numbers on the address. 

_Least I know I'm on the right street_ , I thought as I spotted a small cafe on the corner, a metal plaque displaying the address I was looking for. 

I steeled myself, walking toward the small cafe at a brisk pace. I reached the building in moments, and I looked up at the fresh clusters of flowers surrounding the sign above the door. _Common Grounds Cafe._

I smiled at the pun before entering the brick building. The bell above the door jingled as I entered, and I looked around at the warm, welcoming interior. Comfortable-looking couches, booths, and chairs, each table having a unique, colorful design. I breathed deeply, smelling the sweet and savory scent of the food cooking in the kitchen as I walked deeper into the cafe. 

I looked around for a familiar face. My eyes landed on a woman sitting in a booth in the front corner of the cafe. She looked about in her mid-30s, with dark brown curls resting at her shoulders and accenting her light gray eyes. She wore a light white dress shirt, black jeans, and a dark grey suit jacket. If I didn't know better, I would have said that she was a police detective. 

However, I did know better, and I approached the booth she sat at as she took a sip of her coffee. I straightened my posture as she caught sight of me, standing from her seat to greet me. 

"Madisyn, hello," she said, shaking my hand. 

"It's been too long, Athena," I said softly, smiling. "What did you need to speak with me about?" 

"Please, sit," she said, giving me a friendly smile as she gestured to the seat across from her. "I'm glad you chose to meet so soon." We both sat down, and a waiter promptly brought us a pair of menus. Before I could get any words out, Athena had already ordered me a coffee and sent the waiter away. 

I shrugged it off and turned back to Athena, both of our expressions serious. 

"Are you wearing your badge?" She asked, and I raised an eyebrow. 

"Yes?" I responded. "I thought this was off the books." 

"No, no, this _is_ off the books," she said, shaking her head with a wave of her hand. "I just wanted to make sure you have it. I know how forgetful you can be sometimes, that's all." 

I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion, but I ignored her strange reasoning and got straight to business. 

"Okay, so what did you want to talk to me about so soon?" I asked, folding my hands in front of me on the table as the waiter brought my coffee over. I thanked him, putting cream and sugar into it as Athena told him that we needed a little more time to order. As he walked away, I gave Athena a look. 

"You don't have to get me anything," I said, stirring my coffee. 

"Nonsense. Hermes returned to me to let me know that the message was delivered and he said that your kitchen was spotless," she said, taking a sip of her coffee. "Which means that either you did the dishes right after eating, or you didn't eat at all today, which is the more realistic option because I know you. You're a night owl, like me. You wouldn't be eating this early unless you had planned it ahead of time." 

I raised an eyebrow with a smile as I took a sip of my coffee. "Quite the observant gods, you and Hermes," I said teasingly. "Couple of the only ones, really." She chuckled dryly, although it wasn't without genuine humor. 

"Come on! What about Apollo and Artemis?" She asked, and I raised an eyebrow.

"Fair enough," I said with a slight chuckle. 

The waiter quickly came back, and we both ordered our food, both of us getting scrambled eggs, bacon and breakfast sausage. The waiter was very polite, apologizing ahead of time in case the food took a while because of how many patrons they had that day. We thanked him, and he took our order back to the kitchen. 

Athena smiled down at her coffee mug before sighing, her face becoming serious once more. 

"I want to talk to you about this case you've been assigned to," she said. "There are some things I feel like I should tell you about it." 

I gave her a nod, signaling for her to keep going. 

"First things first," she said, turning to a black messenger bag on the seat beside her and pulling out a manila file folder and setting it on the table. She closed her bag and slid the folder toward me. "This is everything we have on the case, and I mean everything." 

I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion as I picked up the file, opening it and glancing inside before setting it back down. 

"I thought the Alpha Squadron was going to debrief me on the case?" I asked. 

"This file includes everything that they won't tell you," she said, resting her elbows on the table and lacing her fingers together. 

"Am I even authorized to read this?" I asked nervously. 

She raised an eyebrow, the rest of her expression calm. "I'm giving you _my_ authorization," she said, reaching into her breast pocket and pulling out a small silver lapel pin. "The Council has already cleared me to take the lead on this, and I'm making it a priority to make sure you're as informed as possible. Here." 

She handed me the pin, and I looked at it to see that it was in the shape of an owl's face. I looked back at her with a nod, taking out my badge wallet and pinning the owl pin inside it beside my badge. I took a moment to examine my badge as Athena took out another file from her bag to read through. 

My badge was similar in shape to an FBI shield, gold plating with an eagle on top and everything. The top banner said the words _'Special Agent',_ just like an FBI badge, and the second banner said the agency's name: _S.P.A.D.E._

The seal was that of a Caduceus staff, with the top of the staff branching out in the shape of the scales of justice. Then, the third banner said the word _'International',_ meaning that I had clearance to work with other divisions of the Agency around the world. 

Finally, the small box on the bottom of the shield that held the Agent's ID number. Per Athena's request, my number was assigned to be 000. She told me that it was because I was her Ghost Agent, but that was a whole other train of thought I had to keep myself from hopping onto. 

In moments, the waiter brought us our food and we ate while catching up on things that we had yet to talk about. 

I was tempted to tell her about the weird dream I had a few nights prior, but I thought better of it. I instead chose to listen to her tell me about the latest happenings on Olympus as I ate. Both major and minor gods on Olympus have been getting increasingly skittish about the monsters, demigods, and Greek heroes going missing lately. 

I hummed in thought as I finished eating, downing the last of my coffee. 

"Well, I'm not entirely sure what difference I'll make on this case, but I'll try my damnedest to help in any way I can," I said, and she chuckled. 

"You're gonna make all the difference in this case, Madisyn," she said. "I trust you." 

I nodded as the waiter brought the bill, and Athena grabbed it before I could do anything. 

"My treat," she said, taking out her card and handing it to the waiter before sending him to pay for it. 

"Alright, but I got the tip," I said, placing five dollars on the table as my comm went off in my ear. 

I pressed a finger to the earpiece, answering. "Wulfston." 

"Agent Wulfston, are you familiar with Jackson Heights?" Director Baines' voice asked from the other end. 

"Yes, I know the area, why?" I replied. 

"Head to 9759 Arlington Drive in Jackson Heights at your earliest convenience for your debriefing on the case," he said. "It's a small antique store called Remains To Be Seen." 

"On my way, sir," I said, and the Director gave me the affirmative before hanging up. I looked at Athena. "Sorry, duty calls." She smiled as I grabbed the file she gave me before standing up and exiting the cafe, beginning my walk to Jackson Heights. 


	5. Chapter 5

It would've been a long walk to Queens had New York not been a cesspool of magical convergence. 

As I walked down the street towards Queens, I looked around for any shops with a mystical aura. A small smirk formed on my face as I sensed an aura around a Chinese food restaurant, and I made a beeline for the front door of the establishment. 

I pushed the door open, entering and looking around before heading directly toward the utility closet. However, once I got to the doorway, the manager grabbed my shoulder, gently squeezing to stop me. I turned around and pulled out my wallet, flashing my badge. 

His eyes widened before he nodded. He blinked as he released his hold on my shoulder, and I noticed his eyes turn reptilian, almost dragon-like for a split second before they went back to normal. 

I gave him a nod before walking into the utility closet, closing the door behind me as I walked to the back wall of the closet. I placed my hand on the cold concrete, closing my eyes and summoning mystical energy into my hand, opening the portal to my desired destination. 

The portal in question didn't look like the stereotypical movie portal. To be honest, it didn't really look like a portal at all aside from the almost ripple-like effect that the wall now had. The stone shimmered and rippled, looking not unlike a mirage in a desert. 

I glanced back at the door before pushing my hand against the wall, feeling it give way like water. I took a deep breath before walking directly into the wall, walking right through it. 

I closed my eyes, feeling the concrete of the wall wash over me like water as I walked through it. Once my feet hit the ground on the other side, I was dry, and I had stepped into another, different utility closet. 

I looked around, fixing my disheveled clothing before exiting the closet. I walked down a short hallway, passing a pair of bathrooms before finding myself in a small bookstore. It was fairly empty, but it looked like it was doing well for itself. I cleared my throat awkwardly, flashing my badge to the manager before heading out the front door, the bell ringing as I left. 

I looked around at the shops as I stepped out onto the sidewalk, my eyes scanning for the antique shop the Director told me to go to. 

"Come on, that should've worked..." I mumbled as I kept looking. I glanced down the sidewalk at the shops next to the bookstore, and lo and behold, _'Remains To Be Seen'_ is right next door. I chuckled slightly to myself in embarrassment before walking over to the shop. 

I pulled the door open, entering the old shop with a jingle of the bell above the door. I looked around as the door closed behind me. I gaped at the surprisingly large interior of the small building, shelves and display tables filled with cute knick-knacks and tchotchkes that seem to have each been purposely placed in a specific location around the shop.

I smiled at the warm, welcoming colors of the decor as I walked deeper into the shop. 

I noticed something as I went deeper and deeper into the building. The deeper I went, the brighter the lighting got. To my surprise, however, there were no lights or candles in the building except for the front display room. 

As I got deeper into the building, the tables and knick-knacks became fewer and far between, giving way to a white spiraling staircase at the very back of the impossibly large interior of the shop. 

My eyes widened as I got closer, and I ran my hand over the rail of the staircase. My hand ghosted over the spotless surface. 

_Ivory railing?_ I wondered. I looked down at the steps themselves. _And marble steps? This has GOT to be the place._

I looked up the staircase before I started climbing the steps. It only took a couple of moments, but I had climbed to the top, where the ceiling parted into an opening where the stairs ended. I stepped up higher, climbing to the top of the stairs and looking around as the opening gave way to a large, beautiful loft. 

My eyes widened as I looked around. 

Waxed hardwood floors shone beneath my feet, spreading across the spacious home. I looked off to the corner to see a kitchen, kitchen island, and a dining table. Near that, I noticed a hallway that I assumed led to a master bedroom and bathroom. On the other side of the loft across from the kitchen, I saw a cozy living area with a sofa and loveseat around a coffee table and a flatscreen TV, a large bookshelf in the corner by the windows. 

However, I noticed that the majority of the loft was utilized for what looked to be a dojo-style training area, weapon racks storing weapons, old and new, against the wall opposite to the TV. 

_Why does this place look so familiar?_ I wondered, feeling a warm yet peculiar sense of recognition and safety. _I would've remembered coming to a place like this._

I felt my head throb, almost like someone took a hammer to my brain and the backs of my eyes. But I also felt something else. Like that feeling tugging at the back of your brain when you're trying to remember something long forgotten.

"..gent Wulfston? Agent Wulfston, are you alright?" I jumped as I felt someone place a gentle hand on my shoulder, and I whipped around to come face to face with the Alpha Squadron. I sighed in relief, although I still felt the pain in my head. 

I shook my head, blinking a few times before nodding. 

"Yeah, yeah, I'm okay, just got a migraine is all," I said before we all walked over to the living area. 

I sat down alone on the loveseat while Captain, Major, and Centurion sat down on the large sofa. I set the file that Athena gave me down on my lap as Captain gave me a smile before waving his hand, and I heard something be placed on the kitchen stove. I glanced at the kitchen to see a tea kettle on the stove before looking back at Captain with a grateful smile.

"Cliff Lotus tea does wonders for migraines," he said with a small smile and I silently thanked him before looking at Centurion and Major. Major's eyes were drawn to the file in my lap, and he jerked his chin toward it, his narrow eyes moving up to meet mine. 

"What's that?" He asked, and my grip subconsciously tightened on the file folder. 

"It's just a file on the case that I picked up on the way here," I said. "Just so I can review anything we might've missed." 

"Good thinking," Centurion said, giving me a nod. "Okay, let's talk shop." We all nodded, and they began debriefing me on the case.


	6. Chapter 6

I watched intently as Centurion stood from his seat, beginning to pace. 

"First things first," Centurion said, turning to look at me as he sighed. "Over the past---what, 6 months?" He looked at his teammates, who nodded. 

"Okay, over the past six months, monsters and Twenty-Fours have been going missing," he said with a shake of his head. "Gone without a trace." 

My eyes widened. _How? Monsters and Twenty-Fours couldn't just disappear like that..._

A Twenty-Four was the blanket term used by the Agency to describe superpowered humans on Earth. Twenty-Four refers to the minimum twenty-fourth chromosome required for humans to have...extra capabilities. Some are born with it, while others gain their abilities another way over time. 

"About half of the Twenty-Fours that went missing were undercover Agents," Major spoke up, crossing his arms. "Along with some of the monsters. Hydra, Orthrus, and Chimera are a few." 

_Cerberus must be terrified for Orthrus_ , I thought. _I know if my little sister went missing, I'd be a trainwreck._

I looked back up at Centurion. "You said something yesterday about suspects," I said, leaning forward slightly. "You think these disappearances might be kidnappings instead?" 

That was when the kettle began whistling. Captain waved his hand, and I heard some cabinets opening, cups moving, and a spoon stirring before a steaming cup of tea and saucer floated over to me. I smiled at Captain and thanked him as I carefully took it into my hands, blowing on it to cool it off. 

A small lotus flower floated in the water, the blue petals fading outward to a light lavender hue at the tips. I watched silently as a blue-green light emanated from the small flower, quickly fading and giving the tea a faint blue tint. I blew on the tea gently before taking a sip, feeling instant relief in my head. 

Centurion sighed. "To answer your question," he started again. "Yes, the evidence left at the victims' last location suggests that they didn't just disappear."

"Do we have any suspects?" I asked, glancing between the three men. 

Captain spoke up, crossing his arms and leaning back in his seat. 

"Most of our suspects are still being investigated, but a few of them have been ruled out on account of either being imprisoned or proven innocent," he said with a sigh. "We thought a fresh set of eyes on the case might help." 

I smiled slightly. "I agree," I said, jolting before looking at Centurion. "Not that you guys are doing a bad job, I just---" He held up his hand to stop me with a smile.

"No worries, I know what you meant," he said, then rested his hands on his hips. "In any case, I think it would be a good idea for you to go home and review that case file. We can meet back here in an hour to begin the investigation. Agreed?" Captain and Major nodded as I finished my tea. 

I set down my tea on the coffee table with a sigh, picking up the file in my lap as I stood up. 

"If that's what you think is best," I said with a slight smile. "I'll go review the file and come back here in an hour. Thank you for the tea, Captain." He gave me a nod and a smile as I walked back over to the staircase, walking down into the shop below and heading home. 

After about 30 minutes of using portals to head back to my apartment in Morris Heights, I sighed as I walked toward the boring brown apartment building I called home, walking inside and using the elevator to head up to the fourth floor. I stepped out of the elevator, clutching the file to my chest as I walked over to my apartment door. I took my keys out, unlocking the door and entering. 

I closed the door behind me with a sigh before looking down as I heard the sound of claws trotting on the hardwood floors. I smiled as my little Shiba Inu, Senshen, came into view, grinning ear to ear as he neared. I bent down and pet him, giving him a quick kiss on the forehead before walking over to the couch and opening the file folder. 

I leaned into the couch as I sat, Senshen hopping up to lay down beside me. I opened the file, resting it on my lap as I sifted through the mess of papers for the missing monsters and Twenty-Fours. 

I finally found the paper-clamped stack of files and agent bios. I sucked in a sharp breath and set aside the rest of the file to look at the missing persons involved with the case. My eyes first scanned over the names as I flipped through the agent bios. 

Abrams, Cross, Emerson, Hodges, Paxton, Stanton, Thorne, Upton. All agents from our division that had gone missing. All of them were Twenty-Fours. 

The other six Twenty-Fours were all civilians---worked in cafes, construction, restaurants, education, you name it.

I felt my stomach drop as I noticed that in almost all of the files---both agents and civilians---had families. Husbands, wives, children, siblings, parents, and grandparents, all left behind when they went missing. 

I shook off the feeling before moving on to look at the monsters' files. 

_Focus, Madisyn!_ I scolded myself. _You can still help these people!_

I flipped to the monster files. 

_Hydra, Orthrus, Chimera,_ I recited the names as I flipped through the files, my eyebrows knitting together. _Ladon, Medusa, and Scylla...These are all really powerful monsters..._

After that, the list went on to ancient heroes and demigods. My eyes widened at the names on the list. 

Achilles, Perseus, Theseus, Jason, and Bellerophon were the heroes and demigods listed. There weren't many, but that was more than enough for someone to cause some trouble. 

I felt my heartbeat quicken slightly as the significance and sheer magnitude of this case. 

Senshen must have sensed my anxiety, because he whimpered slightly, leaning on me and gently nudging my arm. I looked down at him, and he gave me a sympathetic look, nudging my hand and placing it on his head. I smiled at him as my heartbeat slowed down, and I gently hugged Senshen, rubbing his ears and kissing his forehead. 

I sighed as I let him go, glancing down at the files in my lap. 

"Am I in way over my head here, boy?" 


	7. Chapter 7

After reviewing the case file for an hour, I had somehow managed to wrap my brain around the majority of the case. I understood the fundamentals, but I was still processing it all. 

I sighed as I closed and put the file back together, getting up and heading to my bedroom to hide it. I knelt beside my bed to slip it under the mattress, using a protection spell just in case before standing up and walking back out to the living room, where Senshen still lied on the couch. He rolled over slightly, balancing comfortably on his back and leaving his belly exposed. 

I smiled slightly, shaking my head and walking over to rub his belly. He had a puppy-like grin on his face as his leg began kicking happily as I scratched that one sweet spot on his belly. I stopped rubbing his belly, and he looked at me curiously, rolling onto his stomach before tilting his head. 

I sighed, glancing at the time before looking back at him. 

"Fine, go get your harness," I said, and the little Shiba Inu immediately perked up, jumping off the couch and running into my bedroom, coming back with his harness and leash in his jaws. I smiled slightly, kneeling to put his harness on him before standing up once more, taking his leash into my hands. 

He grinned up at me, his tail wagging so much that his rear end moved with it. I smiled before quickly petting him and opening a portal back to the antique shop, letting him walk through it ahead of me before following him and closing the portal behind us. 

We stepped out on the other side of the portal into the brightly lit loft, the rest of the Alpha Squadron awaiting us. They all glanced at Senshen, then looked at me questioningly. 

I smiled awkwardly. "...He didn't want to stay in the house," I said nervously before quickly trying to change the subject. "I-I reviewed the case file."

"Good," Centurion said with a nod, looking at the others. "Now that everyone's informed, I think we should widen our search. Extend patrol to the outer boroughs, that kind of thing." 

I hesitated. That was a terrible idea, and Centurion knew it, but I could tell that he didn't have any other ideas.

 _The kind of patrols he's talking about, they won't find shit!_ I thought. I built up the courage to speak up. 

"Actually, sir, I think I may have a better idea," I said, and he looked back at me.

"Oh? Let's hear it," he said enthusiastically, giving me his full attention, although not in a mocking way. It was more like he was genuinely glad I joined the conversation. 

_Not something I expected from superior officers working with a rookie,_ I thought. _But I ain't complaining._

I awkwardly cleared my throat, shifting uncomfortably at being put on the spot. 

"Well, I was thinking that, instead of flying over the city looking for clues, maybe we search the areas nearby and see if anyone knows anything?" I suggested. "Sort of like interviewing the neighborhood establishments and underground connections. Someone's bound to know something." 

Major stood up, crossing his arms with a refreshed-looking smile. "You got any people in mind?" 

I raised an eyebrow with a slight toothy smirk. 

"I've made a few connections around New York," I said, resting my free hand on my hip. "I can draw up a list of the places I know, but the list ain't short." 

My smile fell slightly. "I don't know how much ground we'll be able to cover before more people go missing," I said, using a spell to summon a notepad and pen before scribbling down a list of home addresses and establishments.

"Don't worry, we'll crack this case wide open before that happens," Captain said reassuringly. 

I sighed, looking up as I tore the paper out of the notepad, with the notepad and pen vanishing and leaving me with a page of addresses.

"I hope you're right," I said. I quickly shook off my nerves, clearing my throat and handing the paper to Centurion. "I say we split off into pairs for the interviews. Some of the folks I've met will probably be...less than compliant. Pairs will ensure that no one gets blindsided, but the groups are small enough to cover a bit more ground." 

Centurion nodded with a renewed determination in his eyes. 

"Okay, Raph, you go with Agent Wulfston," he said to Captain. "Gabe, you're with me."

"Agent Wulfston and I will take the west boroughs," Captain responded. 

"That means we got the east," Major spoke up, sharing a nod with Centurion as Captain walked over to me. He had a dashing smile on his face, his lime-green eyes bright, almost matching his forest green henley shirt, the sleeves rolled halfway up his arms. 

For some reason, he looked familiar to me. Not like I was looking at my superior officer, but rather, the nostalgic feeling of seeing an old friend. 

I shook it off as his comrades headed downstairs to the antique shop, hearing the bell on the front door ring as they left. 

"So you got any places in mind that we can start with?" Captain asked, snapping me out of my daze. 

"Uh, yeah, there's this place in Hell's Kitchen that'll be bound to have someone that knows something," I said as I looked at him. He smiled. 

"So when we interrogate someone, you think you can handle playing bad cop for me?" He asked jokingly. "I'm a bit of a softie when it comes to these things." 

I chuckled. "Yeah, I think I can handle that hefty burden, Captain," I said, and his smile fell slightly. 

"Hey, we're on the same team now," he said, placing a gentle hand on my shoulder. "You can call me by my name. I'm Raphael Sasaki." He offered his hand with a friendly grin. 

I smiled. "I'm Madisyn Wulfston," I said, shaking his outstretched hand. He crouched in front of Senshen, raising an eyebrow at the dopey-looking pup. 

"Well, if you're going to be playing bad cop, you're gonna need a strong set of jaws for intimidation factor, so I think..." he paused before shooting me a joking grin. "...We're gonna need a bigger dog." 

I groaned playfully. "Ugh, seriously?" I asked with a chuckle. " _Jaws_ puns? That was so bad!" 

He laughed. It was a joyful sound that filled me with nostalgia, though I had no idea why. But either way, it was a pleasant sound. 

"Yeah, I know," he said, his laughter calming down as he stood up. "But I mean it. He's cute, but we're gonna need something more intimidating." 

I smirked. "I think we can handle that," I said, turning to Senshen. "Senshen, _Schäferhund_." 

He huffed at the command, but complied, closing his eyes before a ripple-like effect washed over him, his body changing in size and shape. In moments, the rippling stopped, revealing a roughly 3-foot-tall German Shepherd dog, the padded harness having been reduced to a harness of buckles and straps, not unlike the type used for sled dogs. 

Senshen looked up at me expectantly, and I reached down to scratch his ears, making his long, straight tail wag. I looked up at Raphael, who smiled, giving me a nod. 

"Let's go to Hell's Kitchen." 


	8. Chapter 8

I gripped Senshen's leash tightly as we walked through the portal into Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan. Raphael was right behind us as we stepped out of the other side into the back room of a movie theater. As we exited the theater, thankfully no one thought to look in our direction. 

I looked around as we got outside, trying to get my bearings. My muscles relaxed as I spotted a small bar teeming with mystical energy across the street. An unconventional lavender and blue neon sign surrounded by vines hung above the medieval-looking wooden door. The name read _'The Nightingale Tavern'_ in stylized font. 

I smiled at the familiar-looking building. I felt eyes on me and looked at Raphael. 

"Something wrong?" I asked, and a small smile appeared on his face. 

"You've been here before, haven't you?" He asked, and I smiled a bit wider. 

"Are you kidding?" I asked. "This is one of my favorite places to go in my downtime. Everybody knows everybody around here, and everybody talks." 

He nodded, gesturing toward the tavern across the street. 

"Ladies first," he said politely, and I nodded, leading the charge as we crossed the street. We stopped in front of the large wooden door, and I paused, glancing at the brass door knocker in the shape of a lion's head before knocking with it. 

A small metal eye slot opened up, sliding to the side to reveal a pair of golden, catlike eyes staring at me. The eyes narrowed at the sight of Raphael. 

"Sup Mads," a female voice said on the other side of the door, the person giving me a nod. "Who's the cutie?" 

Raphael visibly blushed at the remark, and I chuckled, taking out my wallet and flashing my badge. 

"Sorry Semira, but we're here on business," I said before putting my wallet back in my pocket. "Could you let us in?" 

"Long as you don't start any more barfights, I think we'll be good," she said before closing the eye slot. In moments, I heard a few locks unlock before the door creaked open. 

From the outside, it just looked like a regular bar, with regular people sitting at regular tables drinking regular drinks. However, that was all a sort of mirage, an image created by a glamour spell to hide the mystical from the outside world. We walked inside, the door closing behind us, and once we passed the threshold, everything was revealed as it truly was. 

Satyrs, pixies, minotaurs, goblins, centaurs, werewolves, manticores, cyclopes. You name it, it's here. 

Given, over half of the more monstrous-looking creatures were covered by glamour and shapeshifting spells to look human, but there was still plenty of variety in the creatures that were here. As Semira locked the door once more, everyone looked over and raised their drinks, some cheering in greeting. I chuckled and waved before everyone went back to their business, and Raphael looked at me curiously. 

"What can I say?" I said with a shrug. "I'm a regular." I looked over at Semira, the bouncer that let us inside. She, just like most of the other customers in the tavern, did not hide the fact that she wasn't human. 

Semira was a tall, wiry werecat. Her velvety fur coat covered her body in a pleasant bluish-gray hue, a white patch covering her chest and stomach while dark gray stripes lined her back half. Her normally olive-colored hair was gone, replaced by a spiky tuft of white fur on top of her head between her two large cat ears that matched the white fur inside her ears. The dark gray stripes behind her went up to her head as well, two stripes on either cheek under her sharp golden eyes. Her fingernails were elongated and curved into large retractable claws, while her feet were replaced with catlike paws. 

She wore a black sports bra and matching black workout shorts, showing off the stripes at her sides as well as on her arms and legs. She wore a golden security badge on her shorts, which rested at her hip. All in all, she was a beautiful werecat, one of the prettiest I'd ever met. Also one of the toughest, which was why she was the bouncer. 

She grinned widely upon seeing me, revealing her sharp teeth beneath her T-bone-shaped nose. 

"Another case?" She asked sympathetically. I nodded with a sigh. 

"Yeah," I said. "But it's good to be here all the same." 

"It's good to see you, Mads," she said with a smile before pulling me into a tight hug. I hugged her back for a moment before excusing myself and Raphael to continue with our investigation. She nodded, and we headed straight to the bar. 

I made eye contact with Skip, the bartender. He was much older than me, with a bushy white mustache matching his short white hair. He was slightly shorter than me, standing around 5' 8" while maintaining a solid build for his age. He had wrinkles on his face, but they were the kind that showed you that he was a happy man; crows feet by his eyes, smile lines, the works. 

The irony was in the fact that he was a cockatrice in a human disguise. Very rare, and even more dangerous. The infamous creature, part bird, part dragon, and part serpent that could kill with a single stare. 

_Like Medusa's pet chicken!_ I thought with a slight smile. _I hope to the gods that he never hears me say that..._ I rolled my eyes slightly before giving him a small wave. 

He smiled as soon as he saw me, sliding someone their drink before meeting me and Raphael at the bar. He gave Raphael a strange look before smiling at me. 

"What'll it be, you two?" He asked, his gruff voice happy. My smile fell slightly, and it was only then that he noticed Senshen beside me, and his smile fell as well. 

"This is about a case, isn't it?" He asked sadly. 

"Yeah, it is," I said disappointedly. "Sorry, Skip. I promise I'll come to have a regular drink one of these days." He smiled and nodded, picking up a dirty shot glass and beginning to clean it. 

He sighed, lifting the glass to examine it before giving me a look with narrow eyes. "He's over there," he said, jerking his chin toward the far corner of the tavern. 

I nodded. "Thanks, Skip," I said, beginning to turn to walk in that direction. Skip quickly reached over the counter, grabbing my arm. 

"Hey, be careful, kid," he said, his eyes conveying worry. "He's got help this time." He nodded back in the direction he previously motioned to. 

I looked over to see a handsome man, a few years older than Raphael, sitting in a round booth in the corner of the tavern, drinking and talking to a group of girls surrounding him. It wasn't difficult to notice the two ogre bodyguards standing in front of the booth, keeping the man and his entourage safe. 

I sighed before looking back to Skip. "I'll be careful," I said, placing my hand over his before he let me go. I looked at Raphael. "I've got help if things go south." 

Raphael gave me a sure nod and I gave Skip one last look before Raphael, Senshen and I all began walking over to the man's corner booth. 


	9. Chapter 9

We approached the booth in the corner, and the ogre bodyguards growled at us, cracking their knuckles threateningly. I looked up and bared my teeth, my human teeth going to my natural-born wolfish fangs as I released a low, canine growl in return. My eyes changed as well, the whites of my eyes turning black as my irises went from hazel to gold and my pupils turning to diamond-shaped slits. 

The man sitting in the booth noticed me and my companions for the first time and quirked an eyebrow in intrigue. He held his hand up. 

"Relax, I know her," he said, and the ogres growled before standing down. I blinked, my eyes and fangs going back to normal as I looked at the man. 

He wore a typical dressy outfit: black dress pants, leather shoes, a black dress jacket, and a white dress shirt with the top 3 or 4 buttons unbuttoned, and his feet were propped up on the table. His brown hair was coifed to make him look fancy and adventurous at the same time, and his green eyes momentarily flashed silver upon meeting mine. 

He gestured to the open space on the booth seat on either side, and Raphael and I walked past the bodyguards to the table, but we didn't sit down. I crossed my arms and glared at the girls around the man. 

"Get lost," I growled lowly, tossing my head to the side as a gesture to leave. They whimpered and quickly slid out of the booth, hurrying past me and Raphael as they left. I looked back at the man. "Agrin, we need to talk." 

He glared at me slightly. "What is there to talk about?" He asked, animosity clear in his tone. 

Raphael took Senshen's leash from my hands as I leaned my hands on the table, glaring at Agrin. 

"You know damn well what there is to talk about," I growled. "Gareth Tasker and Natalie Kobayashi. They both came to you on two separate dates, both exactly twenty-four hours before they went missing. You wanna try to tell me you don't know anything about that?" 

Agrin chuckled, his tone mocking. "Sweetheart, I don't make it a point to remember the names of my customers," he said, smirking slightly. "I just sell them the Muze and they leave me alone. Some come back, others don't. I don't pay attention to these things." 

Agrin was famous for the illegal sale and distribution of Muze, a sort of marijuana-like drug in the mystical world. It's not usually addictive or harmful unless taken in large doses, which causes it to have more cocaine and steroid-like effects. Taken in the doses that Agrin sells, it helps Twenty-Fours and mystical beings alike stay calm, clear their mind, or control their abilities. However, taken in large doses, Muze can make the user short-tempered and violent, even sometimes enhancing the user's mystical abilities. The gods only allow Agrin to keep his "business" going because he serves as a valuable and reliable informant for the gods. 

I growled, reaching into my pocket and took out a pair of photos, one of a woman in her 30s with dark brown hair in a messy bun wearing a doctor's coat, the other of a man in his early 40s with short black hair wearing a barista's apron. I slammed the photos on the table in front of Agrin, glaring daggers at him. 

"You recognize either of them?" Raphael asked calmly, and Agrin looked at him incredulously before looking at the photos. 

Agrin leaned back in his seat, resting his arms behind his head. "Maybe, maybe not," he said. "Maybe you could give me something to help jog my memory." He rubbed his thumb, index finger, and middle finger together, signifying that he wanted payment. 

I growled but took a deep breath, pocketing the photos once more. He raised an eyebrow at me, smirking slightly. I took another deep, calming breath, closing my eyes. 

In a flash, I had my dagger in my hand, and I had leaped onto the table, pressing the blade against Agrin's throat. The two bodyguards moved to defend him, but I had already spread my wings, the feathers rippling for a moment before the feathers had become sharp, solid blades that I held against both of the ogres' throats. My eyes and teeth had gone back to the monstrous look from before, my now diamond-shaped pupils turned to slits as I bared my teeth at Agrin. 

"Hey, take it outside!" Skip shouted at us, and I growled at Agrin.

"He's right, Agrin," I said in a mock sweet tone. "Let's take this outside, shall we?" He growled, his irises turning silver as he huffed, looking at his bodyguards. 

"Stand down, boys," he said, and the two ogres reluctantly backed down, stepping away from my wings. "I'll tell you what I know." 

I smirked, my eyes and teeth going back to normal as I sheathed my dagger once more into my boot. However, I kept my wings spread, just in case. 

"Show me the pictures again," he said, and I placed the photos back on the table for him. He pointed to the picture of the woman, Natalie Kobayashi. "A couple of months ago, she came to me asking for some Muze to help her control her water powers. I caught a glimpse of her talking to a guy after the transaction as soon as she left the building." 

"You think you could describe him to a sketch artist?" Raphael asked. 

Agrin nodded before pointing to the picture of the man, Gareth Tasker. "He came by about four months ago, before that Natalie lady," he said. "He needed the Muze to help keep from getting stressed out at the workplace. Said he'd always cause a small windstorm when he'd get flustered. After he left the building, I saw a girl walk up to him and they left together. Before you ask, I can describe her to a sketch artist, too." 

"...How..?" Raphael trailed off, but I waved it off. 

"Eidetic memory," I said. "Remembers everything he sees." I looked back at Agrin, handing him my business card. "Head to the sketch artist as soon as possible, and let us know if you see anything else or if you see those people again." He smirked and nodded, giving me a mock salute.

I reached into my pocket, pulling out a bronze coin with a hole punched through the middle of it. I looked at it for a moment before placing it on top of my thumb, flipping it toward Agrin, who caught it with ease. 

"What's this for?" He asked. 

"Portal," I said. "It'll take you right to the sketch artist." He chuckled, spinning the coin between his fingers with a nod. 

We exchanged a nod before Raphael, Senshen and I turned and headed back toward the door. 

Raphael looked at me as we left The Nightingale Tavern, heading back out to the streets of Hell's Kitchen. 

"You weren't _actually_ going to kill him, right?" He asked, and I looked at him. 

"And ruin Skip's velvet furniture?" I asked. "Of course not!" We both chuckled before heading back to the antique shop to meet with the others. 


	10. Chapter 10

Centurion and Major had met back at the antique shop's loft with us at the same time, reporting that the lead they followed that day was a dead-end, although they were glad that we found something. Major raised an eyebrow at me with a slight smile. 

"You actually got him to talk?" He asked, and I smiled. 

"Yeah," I said, then glanced at Raphael. "Well, with Raphael's help." Raphael smiled calmly, giving me a nod. 

Centurion chuckled, facepalming. "How could I have forgotten?" He asked, shaking his head. "Since we're gonna be on the same team, we should set aside the formalities, at least for now." 

"I agree," Major said with a nod, shooting me a slight grin. 

Centurion smiled at me, offering his hand to shake. "Please, call me Michael---Michael Davis," he said, making me smile as I shook his hand. 

Major did the same, shaking my hand. "Gabriel Foster," he introduced himself. "And you've already met Raph." 

I smiled a bit wider and nodded. "And, uh, I'm Madisyn, by the way," I said, introducing myself as well. 

"That's a nice name," Gabriel said with a smile. I blushed slightly, holding back a yawn as Michael looked at the time with a chuckle. 

"We should all get home," he said with a yawn. "It's getting late." I looked at the window to see that the sun was going down, and I sighed, nodding. 

"Alright," I said, walking back toward the staircase. "See you guys tomorrow." 

"Hey, you want one of us to walk you home?" Gabriel asked, and I chuckled, shooting him a look. 

"I appreciate the offer, but no thanks," I said, using a portal to send Senshen home ahead of me. "I can handle myself." With that, I left the antique shop, entering the bookstore next to it and using the portal there to head back to the Bronx. 

As I stepped out of the restaurant that the portal took me to, I sensed eyes on me, although I couldn't tell from where. I shook it off, beginning the long walk back to my home in Morris Heights. 

As I got farther away from the well-lit areas, I began to feel more uneasy. It wasn't that I was afraid of whatever was watching me. It was the nervousness of _not knowing_ what was watching me. I heard shuffling in the alley beside me and paused. 

_No_ , I thought. _No, do not go into that alley._ I glanced at the alley. _I mean, damned if I do, damned if I don't kind of situation here._

I sighed, turning away from the alley. _No, it's nothing. Don't go looking for a fight where there isn't one._

As I began taking a step to walk away, I felt a large hand quickly grasp around my waist, yanking me into the dark alley. I attempted to cry out, but the giant hand tightened its grasp around me, taking the air from my lungs. 

I squinted my eyes to see what was holding me, and my eyes widened as I came face to face with one of the ogre bodyguards from earlier that day. 

"Shit..." I whispered as the ogre chuckled darkly. 

"That will be the last time you humiliate me and my brother like you did earlier," he growled, his hand tightening around my body even more. I coughed, struggling to breathe. 

I wheezed as his hand tightened, and I heard a sickening pop as a couple of my ribs prepared to snap. I would have screamed, had I been able to breathe, but all I managed to do was wheeze and cough. 

The ogre, however, stopped squeezing as the street lights slowly flickered on and off, the flickering light moving like a wave approaching the alleyway. However, as it reached the alley, the bulbs of the street lights near the alley shattered, leaving the area nearby in almost complete darkness. 

The ogre looked at the entrance to the alley, but there was no one there. 

The ogre grunted as someone leaped out of the dark interior of the alley, kicking him in the face and making him release me. I grunted, coughing as I hit the ground, and I looked up as what looked like a black and red shadow landed in front of me, a pair of gold-flecked, dark brown wings poised in front of me protectively. 

The ogre groaned, shaking his head and growling at the shadow in front of me as he stood up. He prepared to charge at us, but the shadow leaped into the air, flipping in the air and shoving the ogre backward into the wall with its wings before he fell once more, hitting the ground with a groan. 

The shadow lifted their hand and a bright flame appeared around the ogre in an arc, stopping at the wall behind him. The ogre looked up at the shadow tiredly, trying to stand up as the shadow stood directly between the ogre and me. 

"Leave," the shadow growled, and the flames extinguished themselves. The ogre nodded, groaning as he stood up, leaving as fast and as secretly as he could. The shadow sighed, then turned to me. 

My eyebrows knit together as I squinted to get a good look at the stranger. The shadow was decidedly male, with a strong build and huge wings. As the remaining street lights came back on, the alley became very dimly illuminated, giving me a bit more to go off of. 

The man wore a black and dark red leather suit, the red markings almost forming a V shape on the otherwise pitch-black suit. The red on his chest went from shoulder to shoulder, going about halfway down his chest before tapering to an arrow-like shape at his abs, leading to a silver, V-shaped belt. His legs each had a red line leading from his belt to his black boots, and he wore dark gray fingerless gloves with silver, armor-like guards on his forearms. His cowl was black, the top part cut off with short red devil horns protruding out from the forehead beneath messy, fiery red-orange hair at the top of his head. 

My eyes widened as I realized who had saved me. The infamous vigilante of the New York City streets that shows almost no mercy. My whole body ached, but I still managed to croak out his name. 

"Hellion." 


End file.
